Sheffield football fan pens new England World Cup book

Sheffield football fan Glenn Beckett has written a new book about his experiences supporting England abroad for the World Cup.

Chris Burn

England’s loyal supporters are on unfortunately familiar territory in Brazil as the national team struggles once again in a major tournament.

One Sheffield football fanatic knows exactly how the travelling fans are feeling after spending much of his adult life following England around the world.

Pitbull and Jennifer Lopez pose for a World Cup selfie.

Glenn Beckett, who is originally from Stocksbridge but is currently living in Australia, has now written a book about the agonies - and very occasional ecstasies - that come with supporting the national team in foreign fields.

The 42-year-old teacher has just published Following England Abroad, which charts his journey following the Three Lions in major tournaments between France 1998 and the 2012 European Championships in Ukraine.

The Nottingham Forest fan says he sees the book as something of a ‘coming-of-age tale’, as well as an exploration of the positive spirit of many England fans despite the team’s repeated failures.

It also focuses on the pleasure of experiencing different cultures while travelling abroad.

Glenn, who currently lives in Sydney with his Australian wife and their two daughters, said he had been inspired to write the book after reading a couple of other efforts by England fans.

He said: “I honestly thought I could do a better job in terms of the writing and detail. I felt I had an interesting story to tell that would appeal to people.

“I started writing it last year with the aim of getting it published before the World Cup started.

“I’m obviously a huge football fan and I suppose I’m quite patriotic.

“I have always loved travelling as well ever since I was a little boy and I was always drawing maps of countries and the world.

“That love of travel was alway in me and I developed an interest in football and seemed to have tallied up the two interests.”

He said family commitments have prevented him from travelling to this year’s World Cup.

Glenn said: “It is frustrating being cooped up in a bar or the house as opposed to actually being there.”

He said the book starts out with his group of friends’ first international away games at France 1998 when he was 26.

Glenn said the book charts the group as they grow up and settle down with wives and children.

He said: “It is a coming of age story of growing up and becoming more mature – but the trips don’t stop.”